"That isn't how you load a dishwasher, genius."
"What do you know? You probably couldn't even afford a dishwasher."
"No but I have common sense."
Xin and Kankuro stood in front of the opened dishwasher, both eyeing it critically. Kankuro had been absolutely appalled when Xin mentioned washing the used dishes after breakfast and promptly showed her that they were above that. Though impressed with the dishwasher, she wasn't at all impressed with the lackluster way he loaded the dishes.
"Are you saying I don't have common sense?"
"I mean, judging by the way you loaded this dishwasher…?"
Gaara was still at the island with what seemed to be his third cup of coffee. He'd spun in order to watch the two bickering, finding amusement in the squabbling. His brother still had some reservations when it came to Xin but he had the distinct feeling that Xin's odd charms were slowly working those reservations away.
She somehow worked her charm on Temari and that was a big win when it came to their dynamic. If she trusted her enough to pursue a friendship with Xin, Kankuro would eventually ease up.
"It's a fuckin' dishwasher, Xin. Who cares how it's loaded as long as it washes the dishes?" Kankuro groused, still ignorant to Xin's fervent ways to do things properly when it came to cleaning.
She scowled up at him. "Heathen," she scoffed and shouldered him away to crouch in front of the dishwasher. It was painstakingly tedious but Xin picked through the dishes with care, rearranging them in a way that she deemed perfect and dishwashing worthy.
Kankuro watched her the entire time with his arms folded across his chest, scoffing as he did so. "Something's wrong with you."
"You literally threatened to kill me, I'd say something's wrong with you."
"Don't be offended, it's a part of the job."
Xin scowled but climbed to her feet, hand on her hip. She still wasn't sure what the hell she thought she was doing there, why she was still present at the Sabaku estate. For one, she had no way of actually getting home without someone taking her, unless she decided to call a uber. Fat chance of that though, she probably couldn't afford how much it would cost to get her back to her shitty apartment.
Where the fuck was Temari anyway? She was the entire reason Xin was there and she was nowhere to be found. What kind of shit was that? Who leaves their defenseless guest with their two criminal ass brothers?
"Yes, I'm sure threatening to kill innocent women is just a work hazard." Shut up, shut up, shut the actual fuck up. She knew better than to antagonize a man, let alone a criminal who'd already threatened her.
"If you're innocent, you have nothing to worry about." His grin wasn't so reassuring.
It must have been obvious because Gaara waved his brother away. "Leave her alone, Kankuro. She isn't doing anything."
"Yet."
Xin pursed her lips and debated on how she could kindly get the fuck out of there. It just occurred to her that she was in these people's house, in their bed, in their kitchen, eating up all their goddamn food.
Her mother would have conniption.
"Forgive me, mama." Just add it to the long laundry list of her fuck ups. She cleared her throat and offered what she hoped was a sweet smile. "Where's Temari?"
"She had a fashion emergency she had to deal with," Kankuro answered with an eye roll.
What the hell was a fashion emergency? It sounded ridiculous but she kept that to herself. After all, Temari was rolling in cash and Xin was eating convenience store food on the regular. Who's the real winner here? Certainly not her.
She carefully slid back onto the stool, facing Gaara. "That's too bad," she clicked her tongue. "I hope she fixes…whatever a fashion emergency is." She leaned against the island, cradling her face in hands. "So, what's on the agenda today?"
Kankuro scowled at her. "You don't really think we're going to tell you what our plans are, do you?"
"Why? Are your plans illegal?"
"Not all of them," Gaara replied in a casual drawl, unaware of Kankuro's pointed look. "Not all of our operations are illegal, Xin. The majority are legitimate." He was resting his cheek against his knuckles, eyes closed. He looked tired, Xin realized and she wondered what time he'd gone to bed last night.
It was none of her business, really.
"Ah, that must be how you avoid having to deal with law enforcement."
He popped one blue eye open. "One way."
Kankuro huffed, "Gaara."
But he ignored his brother, standing up in one smooth motion. "First thing on the agenda is getting you home. I think Kankuro might have a stroke any minute now." He looked at Xin but she was already reaching for his empty mug, her intent of washing it clear. "You don't have to do that."
But Xin ignored him, her skin practically crawling. She tried to be better about her need to clean since leaving home. Once upon a time, her strange obsession for cleanliness and organization endeared her to Kazuya. He thought it was one of her cute quirks.
Until it wasn't so cute.
It was annoying, actually, how much she focused on cleanliness. She couldn't leave any mess alone for more than an hour before her fingers were twitching erratically. The smell of bleach and other cleaning products constantly filled the air and she could literally spend an hour alone scrubbing at one specific spot because even if the stain was gone, she had to make sure the smell was too.
Blood's a bitch to get out once it sets, she idly thought.
"I like cleaning," Xin said once she realized she hadn't said anything at all. That was fuckin' weird, she reminded herself. Nobody likes an awkward pause.
"That's fuckin' weird," Kankuro muttered just loud enough for her to hear. For a moment, she considered actually chucking the goddamn mug at his face, just to shut him up. It wasn't fuckin' weird that she liked to clean, why was it even weird? What was so bad about it?
"And I can call a lyft to get home. You don't need to go out of your way anymore than you already have." This was clearly Temari's fault.
"We're heading into the city anyway."
"Oh, well then—" Xin paused and blinked. Once. Twice. Three times. "I'm sorry, into the city? As opposed to…?"
"Outside of city limits, genius."
"You live…outside of Tokyo?"
Gaara could see the little hamster wheel in her head, whirling at breakneck speed as she tried to formulate what that meant. The wheel was going to catch on fire, he mused, her thoughts clearly warring all across her face.
"We aren't that far out but the seclusion is better, it's safer." Gaara reached past her into the sink, pushing the mug under the faucet's running water. She'd been scrubbing at the mug so much that it was practically sparkling. Any more of that scrubbing and the decal would come off.
Her head twitched oddly, almost as if she was preparing for a sudden blow to the side of her face. When she realized that she wasn't actually about to be slapped or punched or manhandled in any way, she practically threw the mug into the drying rack, sidling out of Gaara's immediate space.
"Oh." She smiled but it was tight. "I guess that would make sense. I thought the ride back was long but I figured I was just drunk."
"You were," Kankuro quipped. He was weirded out by her erratic behavior and dare he say, even a little concerned. Okay, maybe not concerned, because he didn't fuckin' like her but he knew what it looked like to brace for a hit. "Cool though, at least you didn't throw up in one of our antiques like the last heathen she brought home."
Xin saw the opening for what it was. "You antique but make it seem like cleaning is weird?"
"What's wrong with antiquing?"
"Nothing, unless you're an old woman."
"Oh, so you're poor and sexist."
"Don't forget an ageist," Gaara said.
Xin gaped at him. "I am not sexist or an ageist!"
"But you're poor?" Kankuro snorted.
"Very, obviously."
Her tight smile was gone and it was a relief though Gaara wasn't sure if that had been his brother's intention. Kankuro wasn't stoked about her presence in their lives but he wasn't frothing at the mouth either. He had to realize at some point that Xin really wasn't out for their livelihoods, she wasn't there to set them on a path of destruction, only to swoop in to reap the benefits.
He realized it, of course but that didn't mean he wasn't going to give her a hard time. Kankuro was fuckin' annoying when he wanted to be and years and years of dealing with said annoyance made those around him mostly indifferent to him.
And then there was Xin.
No matter how much she tried to keep her snarky mouth shut, Kankuro just seemed to be able to push a button within her. It was almost like she was two separate entities with the way she behaved. On one hand she was funny, sarcastic and even a bit snippy. However, on the other hand, she was paranoid, mistrusting and even world weary, which was ironic because this was her first foray into city life.
Jura chose that moment to duck into the kitchen, holding a tote. "Oi, Boss. Have you seen Xin? Temari told me—oh. There you are." Jura smiled at the sight of her peeking around Gaara's massive frame. "Temari said not to let you leave without the clothes from last night."
Her face fell because she one hundred percent planned on leaving the clothes and feigning ignorance if Temari brought it up. Was she that damn predictable?
"Ah, how thoughtful of her." The boots were nice and so were the jeans, she bet that with the material, they'd last longer than any old pair she currently had. She didn't see herself wearing the top much, still convinced that her breasts simply wouldn't allow it but she'd keep it anyway, if only to appease Temari.
Jura led her out of the kitchen with her new items in tow, intent on dropping her by the door while the rest of them finished getting ready for their day. She was grateful to be left alone for a few scarce moments, contemplating, once again, the choices that somehow led her to this particular point in her life.
She was doing the exact opposite of what she was supposed to be doing. Shopping, clubbing, spending breakfast with them. She wouldn't do any of those things with people she didn't consider friends. And they had to at least consider her something more than a mere acquaintance, if they were willing to bring her back to their house. This wasn't even a fuckin' house, she thought, it was an estate.
Xin leaned over and rested her face against her hands, elbows at her knees. This was ridiculous. She needed…well, she didn't know what she needed, maybe a grip. She pressed her hands harder against her face, against her eyes and wondered darkly how much pressure it would take to gouge her eyes out.
Wow, that was really dark.
She heard the soft approaching footsteps but didn't bother to pick her head up. If it was Kankuro, she'd rather ignore his stupid ass until better company came along.
"Angel." Ah, it was Gaara. Funny, he used that nickname like it was her actual name, like he really believed that that's what she embodied. Maybe it wasn't so far-fetched, compared to whatever the fuck he's done. "You alright?"
Xin lifted her head. "Yeah, sure, I—oh." He was dressed simply in a black button up shirt but there was something…about it that made her pause. For one, it looked like it just barely fit him, the first three buttons undone allowing a brief glimpse of his tattooed chest. That was nice but really it was the simple fact that his sleeves were rolled up, baring his colorful forearms.
Oh.
Well.
"You?" Gaara pressed, fixing a shiny silver watch to his wrist. She watched the subtle flexing of his muscles with almost squinted eyes.
"Um—I'm fine, I'm fine," she insisted quickly, popping up from where she'd been sitting, almost desperate to save face and deny the fact that she'd been shamelessly ogling him. "Is that a Rolex?"
Wordlessly he extended his arm to her, silently beckoning. Maybe he liked showing off his wealth, she considered before taking his hand in hers. She sidled closer, bowing her head to purposefully avoid his eyes. "This…looks expensive, definitely a Rolex."
"I doubt it impresses you," Gaara said. Her derision and disdain for the wealthy was amusing.
Maybe it did impress her, if only a little, not that she was willing to admit that. "Correct," she said with a smile and dropped his hand just as Kankuro and Jura emerged.
"You didn't tell me you can cook," Jura said in an accusatory tone. Xin moved away from Gaara, wriggling and toeing her heels on. She noted that even with her extra height, it did nothing against the three of them. How rude.
"Us poor people have to eat too. We don't have the means to just hire someone to cook for us."
"I can't believe you made them breakfast while I'm out here starving."
"Honestly, I was making it for myself. I was just trying to be polite because they showed up and interrupted me."
"This isn't even your house, you freeloader."
"I didn't ask to come here. I wasn't even asked. I was…kidnapped."
"Please, what are you even worth to be kidnapped?"
"Plenty. Wait, do you actually kidnap people?"
"Mind your fuckin' business."
"Oh my fucking—"
"That's enough," Gaara interrupted calmly, hand gently pressing against her lower back. She nearly jumped at the contact and tried to ignore the electric shiver shooting up her back. She's held the man's hand before, for fuck's sake. Then again, she's held her sister or dad's hand before too. There was just something strangely intimate about his gesture.
He gestured sharply to the two before guiding Xin towards his car. Xin glanced over her shoulder just in time to see Kankuro and Jura climb into the big truck Jura was so fond of. "Aren't you three going to the same place?"
But he was already opening the passenger door for her and with a gentle nudge to her waist, corralled her into the car. She slumped into her seat, watching Kankuro and Jura bicker about something, probably about her. She could see Kankuro's lip curling in annoyance and just knew he was definitely talking about her.
Gaara didn't answer her, not that she didn't notice. She huffed and slumped even further into the seat, annoyed that he could so easily brush her question off. It must have been obvious because when he slid in next to her, he was smiling in amusement.
"I thought Jura would be the one to drive you around?"
He snorted, amused. "Like a chauffeur?"
Well, she wouldn't have used that particular word since Jura seemed to be so much more than that. "If that's what you want to call it." He seemed to be more than just a member of Gaara's clan, more than a subordinate or lackey or whatever the hell they called it. There was a deep sense of comradery there, something that she couldn't quite fully grasp.
She doubted she could trust anyone not of her own blood, not that much. But then again, they lived different lifestyles, had different experiences. Who was she to question and ponder their relationship?
"I prefer to drive myself."
"Ah, because you have to always be in control?"
He threw her a pointed look, causing her to have a mini-stroke because why would he take his goddamn eyes off the road? Clearly he found no amusement in her assessment.
"You some kind of psychologist all of a sudden?"
Xin's face flushed terribly and she smiled nervously. Of course she wasn't a goddamn psychologist, she couldn't afford that sort of education. She just wasn't sure how she could explain that her assessments of the people around her was a trauma response to an ex-boyfriend. She would sound like a fuckin' nut.
"Of course I'm not a psychologist." She tried to be flippant, waving his question off but her voice wavered ever so slightly. "Do you know how expensive that is?"
"Too expensive?"
"Way too expensive! You have to do both an undergraduate and graduate programs. I'd have to sell a kidney."
"You could get up to 1,442,211 for a kidney."
"….Why do you know that?"
Gaara glanced at her for the second time, clearly unamused with the question. "You're really going to make me answer that?"
She cringed and reached across the console, pushing at his arm. "Could you please keep your eyes on the goddamn road? You're gonna give me a heart attack!"
"I am keeping my eyes on the road."
"This is the second time you've looked at me!"
"I like looking at pretty things."
Xin's mouth popped open but no sound came screeching out. Her eyelids fluttered and her brows pulled into a confused knit. She drew into herself, appearing smaller than she actually was. "I—You said I wasn't your type."
A strange look crossed his face, regret maybe? She couldn't be sure but it was gone in an instant, wiped away as if his expression never changed. "Doesn't mean I can't enjoy a pretty woman."
She hardly looked convinced, eyeing him suspiciously. Whatever game he was trying to play with her, she wasn't going to entertain that shit. Yes, it was nice to be flattered and called pretty by someone equally attractive but she wasn't falling for it again.
Xin snorted. "Yeah, sure."
He smiled but it wasn't all that warm, it almost looked wan. "You don't like compliments?" It didn't sound much like a question, like he already knew that no, she didn't like compliments. She always seemed ready to crawl out of her skin every time someone said something nice about her.
She didn't want to seem ungrateful or shallow so she simply shrugged. "They're just..words."
"Words have meaning."
Xin stared at him, eyes big and empty and sad. Words meant nothing. Words meant everything.
And that was the problem.
Xin felt relieved at the sight of her janky ass apartment. No, it was nothing compared to Gaara's sprawling estate but it was hers. It was kind of like her, in a sense. Broken down and sad but still standing, still there.
The car eased to a slow stop in front of her building and she just knew she'd hear an earful from Yuri when the old woman caught her. Out all night and brought home by a man in an expensive car? Dressed in the same clothes as yesterday? Yuri wasn't going to let that shit fly for a second.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, there would be no convincing Yuri that nothing was going on after this. In fact, she wouldn't be surprised if the old bat would be hiding behind her curtains, watching and waiting to attack. "This was fun," Xin said after a moment, her eyes popping open and her amicable smile back.
"Was it?" Gaara asked in a dry tone. "You're not upset that my sister dragged you to some club?"
Her smile faltered but only because of her thoughtful look. Honestly, she really didn't hate it. She didn't love it either, per se but it wasn't completely awful. She actually had fun with Temari and even Haruka, even though she'd been behind the bar the entire time.
She hadn't had fun in a long time.
"I'd appreciate more of a warning," she said after a minute of pondering. "But I wasn't that upset. I had fun, honestly."
"It's just not as glamorous."
She nodded. "I wouldn't be..opposed to going again. A heads up would be nice though."
"She'd need your number for that."
Xin blinked, realizing that it was true and that meant another person would have her number. Her stomach did its usual nervous twist at the thought. Her contact list was short, she didn't even have her parents' home phone anymore, having blocked it when she left.
"Then you should give her my number," Xin said with a soft sigh.
Gaara made a noise in his throat and she was sure it sounded something like content or satisfaction. She squinted at him, wondering if it really pleased him that she was willing to give this friendship thing with his sister a try. The way she saw it, she really had no choice anymore. For whatever reason, they were dead set on infiltrating her life and making themselves cozy there.
Why, she still couldn't fathom but maybe it just wasn't for her to know.
"She'll be delighted to hear that."
She scoffed in good nature, still reclining into the buttery seat. For whatever reason, these people enjoyed her company. She would regret the decision, when she was alone with nothing but her anxious thoughts to devour her. It was foolish to do this again, to get sucked back in by a man's charms.
She once clung to Gaara's declaration that she wasn't his type—whatever that meant but now his tune was changing. She wasn't his type, true but she was still pretty and apparently, he liked pretty things. Now what was she supposed to do? What was she supposed to cling to now that he shattered her first line of defense?
Not my type.
Doesn't mean I can't enjoy a pretty woman.
God, she wished she could carve her fuckin' face off her skull.
Sheesh, another dark thought.
It sounded so superficial to her ears, to complain and curse her own pretty face. People had real problems, people were dying in the world and here she was, scared shitless of men and their attraction to her.
Trauma was a motherfucker.
And this…this was going to hurt.
"There you are," Seiko's smile was nervous when Xin clocked in on Monday morning.
Xin glanced at her, idly tapping the clock-in box with her nail. She eyed Seiko with drawn eyebrows, immediately picking up on her antsy behavior. "Is something wrong?" Something told her she would regret asking.
Seiko grimaced and leaned into Xin. "The higher ups are having a meeting today and you're on cart service."
"The fuck is cart service?"
Seiko choked on her laugh but tried to clear her throat instead. "It's when you serve them beverages, usually. Coffee or tea. Sake sometimes…"
Her eyes bugged out. "Sake at work?"
"They're the higher ups," Seiko sighed. "They can do whatever they want."
Xin took a deep breath, already irritated and she hadn't even been clocked in for five minutes. "Why me? There's a bunch of us to pick from and I'm still new!"
"They always regulate women to these kinds of roles," Seiko rolled her eyes but then she nudged at Xin's side. "You're the prettiest one, it's no surprise you were picked to do it."
"That's some bullshit and you know it," Xin pushed off from the clock-in box and began making her way to her computer.
"Well," Seiko grimaced. "It might also have something to do with your chest."
Xin sent her a flat look but she also wasn't that surprised by the notion. Women always had to prove themselves in the workforce and despite that, sometimes they were still just eye candy for men. It was exhausting but what the hell was she going to say? No?
"Fuckin' hell," she swore, rubbing her forehead. "Umino better slide a bonus in there on my next check."
Masaru chose that moment to spin around in his chair, facing the women. He pointedly ignored Seiko, eyes falling on Xin entirely. "I didn't take you for the money hungry type." He said it with a grin but Xin returned it with a frown.
"I mean, would you prefer to be homeless? Do you like having your lights turned on?"
He held his hands up, his grin quivering ever so slightly. "Don't be so serious, Hyuga. It was just a joke. No harm done."
Seiko shot him a look of disapproval, all too aware of Masaru's insistent need to spew bullshit. She didn't understand why he said the things he said, as if it would get Xin to like him. He was terribly sexist and misogynistic and maybe even homophobic. Xin was still polite but she cracked every so often, a shadow of her former temper flaring to life when he got to be too much.
She wondered just how far Xin needed to be pushed for that temper to erupt full force.
"Ah, Hyuga, just the woman I wanted to see," Manager Umino made his appearance, smiling amicably but his mouth twitched ever so slightly.
"Save it, Manager. I already know," Xin said with an eye roll, joining him with a hand on her hip. "I hope you give—"
"Save it. A bonus. I know, Hyuga. Don't worry. Fujino, would you mind helping Hyuga with the service cart? Our meeting starts at 9:30." He was gone before Seiko could answer, not that she would deny the request. She offered Xin another one of her strained smiles that Xin barely returned, quietly following after her to their small break room.
Seiko busily rifled through the cabinets for the ochoko while Xin took on the responsibility of filling the coffee pots. She stared blankly at the coffee machine, wondering for the umpteenth time how she'd gotten there. There was no one else to really blame, save Kazuya, for where she ended up in life but this was just ridiculous. If she wanted to serve people, she would've gotten a job at a restaurant.
"It'll be fine, Xin," Seiko said suddenly, arms full of sake bottles. She had a feeling Xin would be serving more sake than she would water and coffee. Hopefully they wouldn't overindulge, she wasn't sure how Xin would deal with it and though she was interested in seeing her lose her temper, she'd rather she lose it with a loser like Masaru. At least that way, she might be able to save her job.
"No one said anything about a damn cart service when they hired me," Xin mumbled petulantly. "They can't pour their own shit?"
Seiko artfully began arranging the tray, having a feeling that Xin couldn't give a shit how the cart looked. "Of course they can pour it for themselves but why do that when a pretty girl can do it for them?"
Xin made a show of rolling her eyes.
"I'm sure it'll be over in a flash, just do your best."
Manager Umino was waiting outside of the meeting room, smiling much like Seiko. She reminded herself that it wasn't his fault and if it was up to him, he'd probably just leave her to her usual work day. It wasn't like he could say no to the demands of his bosses, ridiculous as they might be.
"Sorry to ask this of you, Hyuga, I know it's not ideal."
She squeezed the handle of the cart, her mouth fixing to say something smart before she remembered herself. Xin returned the smile, albeit sardonically. "It's fine, Manager. One of us had to do it." Who the fuck even decided that she was the sacrificial lamb anyway? Did their coworkers just sit around and decide who would be sacrificed or did they pick her name out of a hat or something?
Umino grimaced one last time before turning towards the door, motioning her to follow. Maybe she was fretting over nothing, maybe this would be a smooth and easy meeting.
"Iruka, you've brought us a pretty one this time!"
Ah, sometimes she forgot that God genuinely hated her.
Xin smiled so hard, she feared she might break something in her face. "Good morning, gentlemen. I'm at your service." She felt like a fuckin' dope saying that but it was the right thing to say because it seemed to please them. So much for feminism. "What can I get for you?"
Thankfully, most of the men preferred tea and some were partial to coffee. It took her a few minutes to make it to their taste individually but at least the sake bottles remained untouched.
And then there was Tanaka-san. He smiled in the same sort of way Masaru often smiled at her, the way that made her uncomfortable. Instantly, her antenna went up as she approached him. She came to a reluctant stop next to him. "What can I get for you, Tanaka-san?"
He leaned into her, his face practically pressing into her stomach. "I wouldn't mind some sake with a little side of you."
Xin blinked several times but managed to keep her smile. Her face was really starting to hurt. "You flatter me," she deadpanned. Manager Umino was staring at her from across the table, his eyes wide but pleading that she keep her cool.
Her bonus was going to need a bonus after this.
She continued to ignore whatever the hell the meeting was about, focused instead of pouring the sake into the ochoko. How this man could drink sake at barely ten in the morning was beyond her. It was a real task, not wrinkling her nose or mouth at him but she held on to the fact that her next paycheck was going to look fuckin' spectacular.
And then she felt it.
A hand sliding down the curve of her ass, fingers digging into the flesh, wrinkling her neatly ironed skirt. Xin paused, slightly bent over the table, holding the ochoko inches from the tabletop. Her brain short-circuited, unable or unwilling to comprehend what was going on. She stared blankly at the tabletop, mouth working to say something, anything but ultimately failing.
"...Unn..?"
Tanaka-san chuckled shamelessly and reached for the ochoko still in her hand. He dismissed her with a swift pat on her ass, nudging her on as if he hadn't just assaulted her.
Xin's gaze snapped to Manager Umino, her eyes wide and brows high on her forehead, as if to ask 'What the fuck was that?'
Manager Umino was staring back at her, appalled but he remained silent. Great. She was essentially on her own with this. She could dump the rest of the sake over Tanaka-san's head, followed by beating him with the empty bottle. But she'd be swiftly thrown out on her ass after that, jobless.
Couldn't have that.
So Xin moved on, humiliated and furious but silent nonetheless. She did her best to cater to their demands, refilling their cups whenever they waved her over. Tanaka-san called her over to refill his ochoko, feeling her up each time.
A hand gripping her thigh, sliding over her ass, squeezing her hip. She was surprised he didn't just grab at her breasts, the perverted little bastard.
Mercifully, the meeting ended without that happening but she was positive it could have. She was the first to leave, intent on getting the serving cart out of their way. Wouldn't want any of them to trip over it.
Xin took the time alone to gather herself in the break room. She felt disgusting, like her skin didn't fit her right. It wasn't all that surprising, her mother warned her of this when she finally had the guts to call home. City folk weren't kind and respectful like country folk.
Tell that to Kazuya, she remembered thinking. But her mother knew none of that, only knowing Kazuya to be a charming young man, devoted to her restless daughter. He was good at that, being charming.
That wasn't important right now, she reminded herself. Assaulted or not, she still had a job to do. Seiko probably picked up her slack but she still had her own work to do.
Xin rolled her shoulders, took a few calming breaths and marched on.
Bad day.
Gaara wasn't sure what that really meant for Xin. A bad day for him sometimes meant being stabbed or a meeting going wrong and guns being drawn. Cargo being lost or stolen down at the docks. He wasn't sure what a bad day for Xin was, certainly not as drastic as his but a bad day was a bad day, regardless.
She was surprised to see him, eyebrows raised in question while approaching. Gaara leaned against the hood of his car as usual, eyeing her over his dark sunglasses. "Angel," he said in that easy drawl of his.
Her bad day was etched all over her face but she managed one of her pretty smiles for him. "I didn't get stuck with overtime today, what're you doing here?" Maybe she was too tired to keep her country accent from slipping through or maybe she was growing fond enough of him, he liked it all the same.
"I had a feeling you'd appreciate a ride." That was somewhat of a lie but she didn't need to know that. Not now, at least. Instead, he pushed off of the car and opened the passenger door to her, always offering.
This time, there was no hesitation. There was no need to reassure her that giving her a ride home was fine. She practically dove into the car, letting out a groan of triumph and relief. He chuckled and softly shut the door, joining her moments later.
"You're going to get tired of seeing me, you know," Xin said after several silent seconds. He just dropped her off Saturday morning and here he was again, Monday afternoon.
"You've said that before and I'm still not tired of seeing you." And it was true. Xin was like a sarcastic and paranoid breath of fresh air. She was amusing but at the same time, clearly traumatized by her past. It was sad because when she was being herself, what he assumed was herself, she was an absolute delight.
Xin made a face of bemusement but didn't argue that notion. In time, he would see what she was and what she wasn't. He'd realize that there was no fun playing with someone else's broken toy.
"What's with the face, had a bad day?" He prompted, noting the perpetual pinch of her brow.
Xin was full on scowling when he glanced over at her, slumping despondently into the chair. "God, I was on cart duty for a meeting with the higher-ups and one of them felt me up. Right in front of everyone. Just grabbed my ass!"
Gaara blinked, caught off by her revelation. Of all the things he thought she might say, sexual assault was not one of them. She was avoiding having to look at him, staring out of the window and inevitably missed him tightly clutching the steering wheel.
He was Rasa's son and his successor, there was no doubt about that but he was raised by Karura. His mother didn't necessarily agree with the lifestyle he lived but she did manage to instill some morals into him before his father corrupted him.
He loved and respected his mother, his sister too. They were both grown women and could do and say what they wanted but he couldn't guarantee not hurting a man if one dared to touch them without their permission. Xin was his friend, despite whatever he might feel for her and the fact that she'd been so publicly violated was enough to boil his blood.
He glanced at her, she was still pouting out of the window but he wasn't sure if she'd appreciate the sentiment. Some women liked to take care of themselves, as were their right and Xin always seemed rather iffy on things like this.
"He said he'd like some sake with a little side of me, can you believe that?"
"You said this was your manager doing this to you?" Gaara asked purposely, roughly massaging his jaw with his free hand.
"God, no. Manager Umino is a nice guy. He couldn't say anything to Tanaka-san, he doesn't have the sort of power but he did apologize for it. That was nice, I guess."
Tanaka. It was a common last name but it wouldn't be all that hard to find the Tanaka that had a high position at her job. He filed that away for later.
"I'm sorry you had to go through that," he said after a moment, just as she turned back to look at him. She was obviously unhappy but managed a small smile.
"Yeah, I'm sorry too. Thanks, though. Nice to know that sort of thing is below you."
"Ah, you think I go around disrespecting women and feeling them up just because I'm a crime lord?"
She laughed then, a real laugh. The one that wasn't all that particularly pretty but charming and genuine. It was quickly becoming his favorite sound. It was even better when he was the result of that laugh. "Well, I didn't say that but I certainly hoped you'd have the bare minimum of respect, at least."
"You really think I'd get away with shit like that with a sister like mine?"
That was a good point, she conceded. "Don't you run like…brothels?"
"We try not to call it that," he shrugged. "You got something against sex work?"
"Depends if you treat your employees right."
"Course I do. Their safety is our top priority. Some people feel as if it's the only type of work they can do. Who am I to make it difficult for them?"
She raised her eyebrows in approval, nodding. "How chivalrous of you." Her bad mood was suddenly gone, he noted, at least for the moment. Her pinched brow relaxed, at the very least.
He snorted, his long fingers finally relaxing on the steering wheel. "Not sure I'd call myself chivalrous."
She shrugged her thin shoulders. "I would."
There was something in his chest at that, something long dead and rotted. Something trembled within that rot, fighting and wriggling to crawl from under it. He wasn't sure how he felt about that strange feeling, nestled somewhere deep in his ribcage.
If she really knew what he was about to do, she wouldn't think him to be so chivalrous.
Gaara stared up at the swanky hotel, hands deep in his pockets. His stance was lackadaisical, body slouching with disinterest. "You're sure he's here?"
Behind him, Jura stood stationary but not as relaxed as Gaara. He was glancing around them, as if expecting someone to rush them. It was a nice neighborhood but nothing really surprised him anymore. "Yup, tracked him down here. He's a regular at this hotel, his wife thinks he's got a late meeting."
Gaara scoffed but made his way into the hotel lobby. It was empty, due to the late hour save for the young receptionist at the front desk. He leaned casually against the front desk, his face a blank state. "You have a Tanaka checked into the penthouse. I need entry."
The receptionist stared back at him, clearly taken aback. "Uh—" he glanced behind Gaara at Jura. "I'm sorry, sir. I can't…do that?"
Gaara was hardly fazed, reaching behind him with the patience of Buddha. Still very casually, he placed a gun on the desk, his sleeve rolled up to his elbow to reveal his tattooed forearm. "I wasn't asking."
The receptionist paled drastically and quietly looked from the gun, to Gaara and Jura then back to the gun. He easily connected the dots and when he leaned back slightly, he slid the keycard across the desk in silence.
Gaara picked both the gun and keycard up, tipping the piece of plastic to him. "Good choice."
Jura offered a smile, though it did nothing to ease the tension and he knew it. "Oh, if you hear anything out of the ordinary…" he paused long enough, his smile dropping for a mere second. "Ignore it."
The elevator ride was silent but it didn't bother either of them. Jura wasn't the least bit new to this sort of thing but he did wonder what this Tanaka person had done to incur Gaara's wrath. Even stranger was the fact that Gaara was the one doing the footwork.
Whatever slight this man was guilty of, he was going to pay dearly for it.
The elevator opened up straight into the penthouse. It was as nice as one would expect from this sort of hotel but neither men paid any mind to it, used to this sort of overwhelming wealth. Instead, it was the man reclining on the sofa, head tilted back and unaware of their presence. A woman knelt in front of him, leaning over with her face buried in his lap.
"Huh. Guessing the Mrs doesn't know that this is what you mean by a late business meeting?" Jura crowed loudly.
Tanaka sputtered and the woman kneeling in front of him jerked her head up, her mouth making a wet popping noise. She turned, her lipstick smudged messily with saliva and pre-cum and scrambled away. She was more of a girl than a woman, her face still slightly round with baby fat. She looked younger than Xin.
Gaara sighed in disgust at the sight and shook his head. It would seem that Tanaka had an affinity for young girls, barely old enough to even be considered women. "You." He jutted his chin at the girl. "Get up and get out."
She blinked up at him, clearly caught off guard but sensed the imminent danger. She scrambled to her feet and carefully staggered by them, stopping when Jura wordlessly tucked several banknotes into her hand. She paused long enough to offer a shaky smile before ultimately fleeing the room.
Tanaka hastily righted his disheveled appearance, staring up at them with an unreadable look. He was no fool, the tattoos alone were enough for him to figure out the type of men who unceremoniously barged into his suite. "I have no business with you," he said with only a slight tremble to his voice.
"Maybe not," Gaara said. "But I've got business with you." He paused, eyeing Tanaka in clear disgust and disdain. "You had an actual business meeting earlier and there was a woman serving refreshments. You took it upon yourself to feel her up, sexually assaulting her in front of your peers and her bosses."
Tanaka scowled, vaguely recalling that short woman with the dark hair. He couldn't remember too much about her, save for her curves and heavy chest. It was true that he'd taken it upon himself to give her an appreciative squeeze and a pat or two on the ass but he wasn't hurting anyone. He'd hardly call that sexual assault, she hadn't said anything about it. Besides, it was a compliment!
"She didn't protest." His excuse sounded weak because that's exactly what it was. Jura's face wrinkled in disgust, finally understanding what they were doing out here. It made sense that Gaara asked him to come along now and not Kankuro. Despite Kankuro slowly warming up to Xin, he probably wouldn't think something like this was important enough to straighten out.
"Right, because someone of her standing would be able to keep her job if she called you out for sexual assault in front of those peers of yours," Gaara rolled his eyes. "Unfortunately, she's quite fond of that job so she felt like she had to hold her tongue. I, however, find no need."
Tanaka could sense that something was about to happen, something bad, something wrong. He pressed back into the couch, as if the cushions might swallow him up and spit him out somewhere safe. "What, is—is she your girlfriend? Your wife? You want me to apologize, I'll apologize."
"No, not my girlfriend, not my wife. Just a friend of mine, I just prefer when she's not upset and she was fuckin' upset today. I don't really like that and I don't like why she was upset, so, here's what's going to happen. I'm going to give you a choice, you can pick what's going to happen. I'm generous like that."
Gaara held up two fingers. "I'm going to break your fuckin' hand. Or your fingers. Haven't decided yet. You ever heard of that rule, keep your hands to yourself? Yeah, you're going to learn to keep them to yourself. Now you do have another option. You can say no but if you do…" he trailed off, still so very casual. "We take a drive to your house and we break your lovely wife's hand and your daughter's fingers instead while you get to watch and explain why it's happening to them."
Jura nodded along. That was rather generous of him. Honestly, he thought Gaara was just going to come here and shoot the idiot in the knees or maybe just in the face.
The Yakuza leaned forward, grinning with unmasked feral.
"So, what's it gonna be?"
Tee: Xin can't catch a fucking break as long as I'm in charge. Hope you enjoy and please review. Or not. It's your life but I do love a nice review or two.
